Coffee 'can fight off bowel cancer'

It is thought the caffeine cuts the inflammation that tumours feed on. Photo / iStock

Drinking coffee could be the key to boosting survival rates among bowel cancer patients, according to researchers.

Experts say it can help those suffering from the disease and cut the chances of it coming back after successful treatment.

A study found the disease was almost half as likely to return in men and women who drank at least four or five mugs of coffee a day.

It is thought the caffeine cuts the inflammation that tumours feed on.

The research, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, found that consuming around 460mg of caffeine a day cut the odds of bowel cancer coming back by 42 per cent.

Smaller amounts of caffeine brought a smaller benefit. A mug of instant coffee contains around 100mg of caffeine, while an espresso - the base for many coffee drinks sold in high street chains - has 80mg. Writing in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researcher Dr Charles Fuchs said: "We found that coffee drinkers had a lower risk of the cancer coming back and a significantly greater survival and chance of a cure.

"If you are a coffee drinker and are being treated for colon cancer, don't stop."